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REPORT: Bears Trott on but Sussex negotiate Choppy waters

26-Apr-2012

After two days of incessant rain and overnight showers lastnight, the chances of play at The PROBIZ County Ground, Hove, this morning looked bleak for Day One of the LV=County Championship Division One clash against Warwickshire.

However, play did begin at 12.00pm after an hour’s delay due to a wet outfield, and as play finally commenced at Hove for 2012, the sun even came out to greet the news that Sussex had won the toss and elected to field.

There was one change to the line-up for each side from their previous Championship encounter, which ironically for both sides was away to Lancashire at Liverpool. Matt Prior returned from England duty to take the gloves for Sussex in place of Ben Brown, whilst fellow England star Jonathan Trott replaced Neil Carter for Warwickshire.

And it was the hosts who made the early weather conditions count as Ireland’s skipper Will Porterfield was the first man to fall. He was pouched by Ed Joyce off the bowling of Steve Magoffin, with the Australian picking up where he left off in Liverpool, a game where he claimed nine wickets across the two innings.

There was further joy soon after as Warwickshire were reduced to 13 for 2 and it was one of the Bears’ star batsmen back in the hutch. It was a former Warwickshire man too, in the shape of James Anyon, that rearranged Ian Bell’s stumps for a duck to leave the Edgbaston outfit reeling.

But it was then a 219-run partnership which completely changed the complexion of the day. As the sun came out and everything dried out at The PROBIZ, the returning Trott bedded in with Varun Chopra to dominate the Sussex attack.

Both batsmen brought up impressive centuries before Sussex struck again. This time it was Luke Wells, whose off-spin trapped Chopra leg-before for 105. Trott remained defiant as Jim Troughton also fell to spin the late evening sunshine, Monty Panesar finally getting in on the act to grab the captain for 12.

Sussex were hitting back late in this slightly curtailed day to earn themselves crucial wickets and a chance to bowl themselves back in the game. Magoffin grabbed Darren Maddy for 1 but it was left for night-watchman Chris Wright and the relentlessly unruffled Trott, who finished the day unbeaten on 132, to see Warwickshire through to finish the day on 281 for 5.